Description
A quick and flavorful Easy Shrimp Scampi Pasta recipe featuring succulent jumbo shrimp sautéed in garlic, lemon, and white wine sauce, served over delicate angel hair pasta. Perfect for a weeknight dinner that feels gourmet yet comes together in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp and Sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 lb wild caught jumbo shrimp, tails and shells removed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon plus 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2/3 cup dry white wine
- 1 tsp lemon pepper
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp minced parsley
- 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter
Pasta
- 1/2 lb angel hair pasta
Instructions
- Sauté the shrimp: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until they turn pink. Avoid overcooking to keep shrimp tender. Remove shrimp and set aside.
- Cook garlic: Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Combine shrimp back: Return cooked shrimp to the skillet, swirl to combine with garlic, then turn off the heat to prevent overcooking.
- Prepare the pasta: Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add a generous pinch of salt, and add the angel hair pasta. Swirl it gently until fully submerged, then cook according to package instructions until al dente.
- Finish the sauce: While pasta cooks, add lemon juice, lemon zest, white wine, lemon pepper, red chili flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, minced parsley, and cold butter to the skillet with shrimp. Stir gently over low heat until butter melts and flavors combine into a silky sauce.
- Toss pasta and serve: Drain the pasta, reserving some pasta water if needed. Add pasta to the shrimp and sauce skillet, tossing well to coat. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time if sauce needs loosening. Serve immediately garnished with extra parsley if desired.
Notes
- What To Do With Leftovers: Store leftover pasta and sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Sauce may thicken after refrigeration; gently reheat with a splash of water or wine to loosen.
- Do not overcook shrimp to avoid rubbery texture.
- You can substitute angel hair pasta with linguine or spaghetti if preferred.
- Use dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio for best flavor.
Keywords: shrimp scampi, shrimp pasta, easy shrimp recipe, garlic shrimp, lemon shrimp, angel hair pasta, weeknight dinner